Written by Fran Alison
You may have noticed the days are getting ever so slightly longer, and it’s a leap year – so if the promise of an extra day and a little more sunshine isn’t enough to get you off the couch, we’ve rounded up some great things to do in New York this month.
AWNY is hosting and supporting the following events – come along and join us:
February 12: An Evening with Sex Therapist Cyndi Darnell
Join Cyndi Darnell, a licensed sex therapist, for an evening of easy Here’s a chance to find out everything you ever wanted to know about sex therapy, but were to afraid to ask, with sex therapist Cyndi Darnell.
- When: Wednesday February 12, 6.45 for 7 – 8.30pm
- Where: Manhattan location TBD.
- Tickets & RSVP: Tickets are available for purchase on the AAA website.
February 1: Best of Brooklyn Food & Beer Festival
Beat the winter blues and dust off the frosty chill in favor of heart warming vibes, incredible craft brews, delicious eats and more at The 4th Annual Best Of Brooklyn Food & Beer Festival. From 12.30pm.
Industry City, 238 36th Street, Factory Floor, Brooklyn, NY 11232
February 1: Black History Month: African-American History in Parks
Learn about parks, sculptures, and other green spaces in New York City that highlight and honor the black experience in the United States. From 11am – 12.30pm. Roy Wilkins Park, 177th Street and Baisley Boulevard, Queens
February 1 (and every Saturday in February): Read-to-Skate StoryTime
Read and sing along with Cali Co Cat! Free books at every event, while supply lasts. Read-to-Skate StoryTime takes place on Saturdays from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. from January 11, 2020 to February 22, 2020, inside Overlook, located on the second floor of the Skating Pavilion at Bryant Park.
February 2: SuperBowl Sunday
An unofficial national holiday, Super Bowl Sunday is the most viewed event in the country. You don’t need to be a football fan because half the fun is watching the quirky ads, the halftime show and of course embracing the tradition of the Super Bowl party. Catch the action at a local bar of your choice.
February 4: Only in Harlem – Moth StorySLAM
The Moth StorySLAM travels to Harlem for Black History Month, where story tellers will have five-minutes to tell a story about life in one of the world’s most iconic neighborhoods – Harlem. Listen to stories about Showtime at the Apollo or Stomping at the Savoy, hoop dreams, church Sundays, hydrant sprinklers, soul on a plate, dreams deferred, dreams coming true, music, laughter, and the wisdom of the stoop.
February 4: New York Fashion Week
Make sure you are on trend this year, and snag yourself a front row seat – and you don’t have to be Anna Wintour to gain entry with packages starting from $500 (although you may wish you had her expense account!)
February 6: “The Merger” – An Ads-Up Fundraiser for Refugees and Bushfire Relief
Ads-Up is partnering with Indie-Pix to screen the hilarious and heart-warming Aussie comedy “The Merger“. We could all do with a good story from Australia right now – join fellow expats for drinks and canapes before the film then sit back and enjoy the tale of “Bodgy Creek” and its beloved footy team. Funds raised on the night will go towards Ads-Up’s work supporting refugees resettled in US from Nauru and Manus Island. From 7pm – 10pm.
February 8: T is for Teddy Bears in the Wild
If you go down to the woods today, you’re sure of a big surprise – take this tour with your little ones and find out where bears picnic, and what other mammals live in the Greenbelt on Staten Island. Suitable for ages 3-7 (and big kids too!) From 11am – 12 noon.
February 9: NYC Lunar New Year Parade
Head to Chinatown in Manhattan to check out the annual Lunar New Year Parade for amazing visuals, delicious treats, and mesmerizing cultural performances. Parade Route: Mott Street and Canal Street to Chatham Square to East Broadway towards the Manhattan Bridge, completing on Eldridge and Forsyth Streets towards Grand Street next to Sara D. Roosevelt Park. From 1pm.
February 9: Astronomy: The Full Snow Moon
Traditionally, the moon seen in February is the Snow Moon due to the typically heavy snowfall of February. The Urban Park Rangers will be your guides to the solar system, discussing the science history and folklore of the universe. All equipment is provided. From 6pm – 7.30pm.
February 13: Galentine’s Day Silent Disco Fitness
Join ‘Shape Up NYC’ for their first Galentine’s Day free Silent Disco Fitness Party. There will be snacks, raffles prizes, and giveaways, and more. From 6pm – 8pm.
February 14: Central Park Conservancy Valentine’s Day Stroll
Bring your Valentine for a special Valentine’s Day Stroll and see some of Central Park’s most whimsical and romantic places, including the Alice in Wonderland statue, Bethesda Terrace, and Bow Bridge. Start the tour with a complimentary hot beverage from Le Pain Quotidien and end the tour with a special Valentine’s Day gift. Two sessions – 11am – 12.30pm, and 3pm – 4.30pm.
February 14: Black History Month – Movies Under the Stars: Harriet
Celebrate Black History Month with this powerful biopic, which centers on Harriet Tubman as she conquers epilepsy, slavery, misogyny, and racism to liberate hundreds of enslaved people, serve in the Union Army and become an icon for freedom everywhere. This movie will take place indoors. From 11.30am.
February 15: Natural History Museum Sleepover for Grown Ups
One for the big kids – the Natural History Museum hosts an adult sleep over. Start the night with a champagne reception, roam the empty halls of the Museum and Planetarium, meet “non-human guests” in a live animal demonstration, and see the mighty T-rex exhibition. As the evening winds down, slip into your pj’s, curl up in your sleeping bag and fall asleep under the iconic blue whale.
February 20: West Side Story Broadway opens
While this new production has been marred by the casting of a dancer caught up in a #meToo scandal, director Ivo van Hove and choreographer Anne Teresa de Keersmaeker have reimagined this American classic, bringing it in to the present day. Controversies aside, it’s an iconic New York story that is as relevant now, as it was then.
February 20: Billy Joel at Madison Square Gardens
While attending a Billy Joel show at MSG doesn’t guarantee American Citizenship (it really should!), it will earn you brownie points among your patriotic American friends. Grab your Uptown Girls and sing along with New York’s favorite Piano Man.
February 21: Black History Month Jazz and Swing with the Harlem Swing Dance Society
Join the Harlem Swing Dance Society as they celebrate Harlem’s most famous dance genre with The Lindy Hop. Start off with a dance lesson and continue with the Swinging Harlem Jazz & Dance Combo Band! From 6pm.
February 21: A Conversation with André Aciman
If ‘Call Me By Your Name’ broke your heart, you will want to be at this reading and Q&A with André Aciman, about his latest novel “Find Me”. From 6.30pm.
February 22 – Black History Month: Brooklyn and the Underground Railroad
The Underground Railroad was a network of sanctuaries for enslaved women and men escaping slavery in the South to seek freedom in the North. Join the Urban Park Rangers for a walk through Brooklyn Bridge Park highlighting the borough’s link to freedom. From 11am – 12.30pm.
Feb 22 – Boozin in Your Onesie Bar Crawl
Allegedly the most comfortable bar crawl in New York, the Boozin in your Onesie bar crawl returns in February, with a tour of the Lower East Side bars. From 3pm – 10pm.
AWNY | Australian Women in New York 